If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: AquaMule and AquaRam 18650 lights

Originally Posted by McGizmo

I definitely plan to come up with a High CRI AquaMule and although not specifically offered at this point, I can build an AquaMule with the Nichia 119V for someone who wants it. I have a prototype AquaMule that hosts two of the 119V in parallel. This is not ideal in terms of driving the LED's because their share of the current is based on their relative Vf's but since the 119V can handle 1400 mA on its own splitting that between a pair, even if unequal, is not approaching any red line. I might end up having a run of MCPCB's for paired 119V's made. I am confident there would be a gain in lumens from running two in parallel over a single LED driven at the same total current but I don't know if that gain would justify the added expense of custom MCPCB's and double the number of LED's.

I would love to see a Cree XM-L High CRI LED but if its CCT is below 4500K then it's a yellow light to me and my aversion to yellow would make it a LED I personally don't care for and that's not something easy to get behind. In my opinion, The XM-L's I am presently working with are cool white in tint but still, white. Not blue. A 3500K LED is yellow to me and I don't care if it has a CRI of 100 which means it matches the spectrum of a yellowish incandescent lamp at 3500K. It's still yellow in my perception. It may be selfish on my part but I want to like what I offer and believe in what I offer. And realistically, I can only offer so much and at this point the range in components I have to fund and keep on hand is getting daunting.

EDIT: The good news is that the Aqua Mule is certainly an easy light to modify.

Don, did you ever consider an XP-G2 for use in the AquaRam?

It can be driven to the max of 1400ma and its output will be nearly the same as an XM-L2, but the smaller die means that it would have more throw.

We are all flotsam and jetsam being carried by a relentless tide towards our ultimate fate!

Re: AquaMule and AquaRam 18650 lights

Originally Posted by Light11

I share Troy's sentiments,Its ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!
We have complete darkness in Oregon and I'm going outside for a night walk,my boys are coming
with me with several other McGizmos to make the AquaRam feel at home
Took a quick shot before it got dark...

The bezel on the smaller light (PD-S?) is really nice. Care to share where you got it?

Re: AquaMule and AquaRam 18650 lights

Enormously Satisfying. That sums it up nicely, Daniel. Solid, in a way not even the 27LT is. Smoothly finished, yet never ever going to just slip out of your hand. A nice middle ground size wise, fits in my pants pocket without being too much to carry. Just got back from my first dog walk with it, mainly on the lower two levels. Signature Don beam quality, and a nice pure white tint. No blue, no purple, no green. I'll let it break in a bit before deciding on removing an o-ring, one handed operation is doable but not easy. I now have a sense of why those who were fortunate enough to have a Ti 27LT prototype pass through their hands were so excited. I've owned a few 27LT's, and the handling is similar, but the Ti is just a whole different feeling. Kind of the same as the difference between a McLux III PD and a Ti PD. Both great, and if you never held a Ti one you wouldn't know what you were missing... Same here. Home run, Don.
I love the Mini-Makai head design elements, at least that was my impression of the look, seeing it now in person.

Oh, by the way, four well-chosen drive levels. I'll let others who dive into the programming comment on the driver. I think I'll be leaving mine alone. High is substantial, and the lower levels are more than adequate for my needs.

Re: AquaMule and AquaRam 18650 lights

Originally Posted by scout24

Enormously Satisfying. That sums it up nicely, Daniel. Solid, in a way not even the 27LT is. Smoothly finished, yet never ever going to just slip out of your hand. A nice middle ground size wise, fits in my pants pocket without being too much to carry. Just got back from my first dog walk with it, mainly on the lower two levels. Signature Don beam quality, and a nice pure white tint. No blue, no purple, no green. I'll let it break in a bit before deciding on removing an o-ring, one handed operation is doable but not easy. I now have a sense of why those who were fortunate enough to have a Ti 27LT prototype pass through their hands were so excited. I've owned a few 27LT's, and the handling is similar, but the Ti is just a whole different feeling. Kind of the same as the difference between a McLux III PD and a Ti PD. Both great, and if you never held a Ti one you wouldn't know what you were missing... Same here. Home run, Don.
I love the Mini-Makai head design elements, at least that was my impression of the look, seeing it now in person.

Oh, by the way, four well-chosen drive levels. I'll let others who dive into the programming comment on the driver. I think I'll be leaving mine alone. High is substantial, and the lower levels are more than adequate for my needs.

I couldn't agree more with you summary Greg. Its great to finally own a Ti version of the 27LT with an improved driver.

I am a tad curious to see how much brighter 2200ma on max looks than 1400ma but not sufficiently to try the programming. The fact that it can last 80 minutes on 1400ma without a significant drop in output or producing excessive heat seems reason enough to keep it this way.

We are all flotsam and jetsam being carried by a relentless tide towards our ultimate fate!

Re: AquaMule and AquaRam 18650 lights

Daniel, et all. You guys are making it really hard to not pull the trigger on an Aqua Ram. I have a 27LT-S that I upgraded with a XML2 and the beam is just wonderful. I can only imagine that beam with the Ti host, a more flexible driver and more than 2x the drive current. The 27LT had a max of 1A drive.

I know it's only a matter of time, but I need to appropriate the funds first.

Re: AquaMule and AquaRam 18650 lights

Originally Posted by ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

I know it's only a matter of time, but I need to appropriate the funds first.

Sam here Sean. I've had a lot of pent-up demand for funding of other projects, and so I took a flashlight-buying hiatus. I'd like to wait a month or so to buy this, but I have no idea how long the run is likely to last. Hopefully Don will post if availability is getting low.

Re: AquaMule and AquaRam 18650 lights

I apologise if this is a stupid question, (or if it was asked somewhere else in the thread), but Don, is it possible to run these on a 1 x 18350 for a smaller form factor? I realise it would require a shorter battery tube... Just wondering if 18350 can be used with the driver.